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View Full Version : Can I Get A BRASS Flange Made (in Toronto)?



Richard K.
5-Mar-2010, 07:36
Is there someone in the Toronto area that can machine flanges?
Is it possible to make brass ones or only aluminum?

(no, I'm not returning to that OTHER discussion!) :D

Ernest Purdum
5-Mar-2010, 09:01
Flange making is a fairly easy machine shop job. The hard part is finding someone who is willing to be bothered by such a small job and won't charge a big job price. With patience and a phone book you should find someone. There is nothing that requires special photographic knowledge, just a lathe that cuts inch or metric threads as the case may be.

Brass is a lovely flange material, but it's not easy to find it in the size and shape to cut a flange out of. Aluminum is much cheaper and many shops would have an appropriate piece at hand.

Ken Lee
5-Mar-2010, 09:10
What Ernest said.

I had some flanges and mounting done at a local machine shop. I called first, visited around lunch hour, making sure to bring the lenses and boards with me.

(To that end, make sure you put everything inside plastic bags, because the environment can be dusty or gritty).

We arranged to have the work done after hours, by one of the staff, who was more than capable. This fellow made precision parts for motorcycles in his spare time, so making a flange was trivial. They use programmable machines. They set things up, turn it on, and... have a smoke.

Dunno about Canada, but in the states, they referred to this kind of work as a "One-Off", meaning a simple job done only once. When I returned 6 months later to mount another lens, I asked them if they could do another one-off for me. They said sure, and quoted me the same rate as before.

As Ernest mentioned, they had lots of aluminum sitting around, of exactly the right thickness. Didn't see any brass though.

Richard K.
5-Mar-2010, 09:13
Thanks guys!

Richard K.
5-Mar-2010, 09:14
Forgot to ask, how much did they charge you?

GPS
5-Mar-2010, 10:39
Richard,
for you only the best... Aluminum ring on a brass thread can seize and is not recommended also from the corrosion point of view (dissimilar metals). I think your Rapid Symmetrical is calling for an honest brass flange...;-)

goamules
5-Mar-2010, 10:44
I tried a local CNC shop that makes a special kind of M-16 receiver. They could certainly do it, but quoted $75/hr and said it would be 2-3 hours work to set up. I told them I would not pay more than about 100 bucks. Better I should return and ask for an "evening" job.

The cost of a chunk of brass was ungodly. They use alum, but showed me their price book for materials. A square of brass was several hundred dollars....

Keep looking, competition is good.

Keith Pitman
5-Mar-2010, 11:13
Perhaps you could buy a brass flange that was slightly too small, and have a machinist open it up to the size you need. Like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brass-Lens-Flange-for-Large-Format-or-Enlarging-Lenses_W0QQitemZ220566061718QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLens_Accessories?hash=item335ac30296

Richard K.
5-Mar-2010, 13:16
Perhaps you could buy a brass flange that was slightly too small, and have a machinist open it up to the size you need. Like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brass-Lens-Flange-for-Large-Format-or-Enlarging-Lenses_W0QQitemZ220566061718QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLens_Accessories?hash=item335ac30296

HEY! I'm bidding on that one!! Now EVERYONE will try to buy it! :D
Great idea Keith, I have one at home that is about the right diameter but a finer pitch count...I'll try to find a local machinist...
Hey GPS let's not get started again eh! :rolleyes:

GPS
5-Mar-2010, 13:33
I do my best, Richard...;-)

bob carnie
5-Mar-2010, 13:34
Richard

On Carlaw just up from Queen, Precision Camera I believe can do this work , they have made flanges for my enlarger lenses in the past


Bob

Richard K.
5-Mar-2010, 13:38
Can someone do me a favour...um, OK FAVOR and buy this:


http://cgi.ebay.com/B-W-Slip-On-Lens-Cap-for-Filters-72mm-75mm-Out-Dia_W0QQitemZ220564740535QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item335aaed9b7

and then thow it into an envelope to me? Adorama has this thing about not selling to anyone but Americans. I'll of course pay you right away for the cap ($8.95) and shipping to you ($4.90 I think) and mailing to me ( a few $?) + PayPal fee + tip ($1.25:D ). Thanks!!:)

Richard K.
5-Mar-2010, 13:39
Ooops they have 5 so please let us know here if YOU are doing it. I don't want everybody rushing to do this!!

Richard K.
5-Mar-2010, 13:46
Richard

On Carlaw just up from Queen, Precision Camera I believe can do this work , they have made flanges for my enlarger lenses in the past


Bob

Hey thanks Bob; I've driven by them often (even though I'm in Etobicoke!).

bob carnie
5-Mar-2010, 14:21
Richard
I was hesitant of listing the name as I was not sure that was it. about a 1/2 block north of queen on the east side of Carlaw.

Hey thanks Bob; I've driven by them often (even though I'm in Etobicoke!).

Steven Tribe
10-Mar-2010, 09:43
In the good old days you could get an approximate shape in brass cast at the local brass foundary rather than machining away at a huge block of brass. I doubt whether plate brass or bronze is available in suitable thicknesses these days. Back garden casting of brass or bronze in the approximate size (diameter and thickness) for a rough casting for machining is quite easy. This would be a flat and impressed casting without the cire perdue method with air pasages. I havn't done it for flanges (yet!) but have made large bronze fittings for my vintage cars.

Materials are: fire bricks, an old vacuum cleaner that can blow rather than suck, scrap brass or bronze, coke, borax, a refractory crucible, a set of tools for a wood stove and a sand form.

Robert Hughes
10-Mar-2010, 10:15
But brass is so last week! Get with the times - use duct tape, like the rest of us! :D